“Ah, here you are,” came a cheery voice from the drawing room door. Miss Darcy entered and closed the door softly. She joined Elizabeth in the sitting area with excitement written all over her features. “Our tartan dresses have been delivered.”
Giving Bruce one last pat on the head, Elizabeth stood. “Already? How wonderful!” she replied.
“Yes, the dressmaker’s note said that if there were any minor alterations that we needed, she would personally come out to the house and make them. I suspect she would not object to a chance of seeing Strathalt House from the inside,” Miss Darcy said, taking Elizabeth’s hand. “Come, they have been taken to our rooms. Let us try them on at once! And then we shall meet back here so we can admire each other.”
Elizabeth let out a short laugh, noting how very expressive Miss Darcy had become since the beginning of their “charm lessons”. They started toward the door of the drawing room. “Very well, let us try them on and then meet back here in a few minutes, hmm?”
They parted ways and went to try on their dresses. Elizabeth stood in front of the mirror in her room, running her hands over the expertly woven tartan. It was beautiful and soft, although thicker material than she would have chosen back home. However, it was still surprisingly breathable and soft, and the sewing was second to none. It would do well here in the cooler climate of Scotland. The long sleeves would exactly fit what her aunt had written of the latest styles in London, and the high Empire waist made it both flattering and elegant.
It was well worth the money she had spent, even though it was most of what she had. Elizabeth was confident that she would get a great deal of use out of it.
She admired herself for a moment more, then went out into the hall to meet Miss Darcy. After several moments passed without result, she assumed she had already gone down, and went to meet her in the drawing room.
When she entered the drawing room, however, Miss Darcy had not yet arrived. Elizabeth did a little spin to see the fabric billow around her. She was glad now that Miss Darcy had suggested they both purchase a dress. It would be a precious memento of her time here, all the more precious if her father did not win the contest for the house.
Suddenly, someone cleared their throat from the far end of the room, and she spun around, her heart hammering in her chest. “Miss Bennet, how well you look,” Mr Darcy said, appearing from a darkened corner.
Heat flooded her face. “Mr Darcy, I beg your pardon. I did not realise anyone else was in here.” If only he had announced his presence sooner, before she had made a fool of herself, twirling like a young girl!
He came closer, looking her up and down with what she could only describe as appreciation. But how could that be? “The tartan suits you,” he said. “The dressmaker was right; it reminds me of the depths of the loch — so mysterious and enchanting.”
Was he calling her enchanting, or simply stating his opinion about the loch? No matter the motivation, she found her heartbeat racing as he stepped closer. “I must say how very grateful I am that you have taken Georgiana under your wing while we’ve been here. I cannot tell you the difference it has made in her. She is blooming.”
“She is a sweet girl, and in truth, the friendship has been just as beneficial to myself. I have enjoyed her companionship greatly. I thought I would spend most of my time alone here, while Papa was tending to business.” She splayed her hands. “If I have been of any service, I am glad of it.”
“You do not give yourself enough credit. I cannot say what a change you have wrought in my sister. Since Wi—” he stopped. Clearing his throat, he took a different tack. “Suffice to say, it had been a difficult year for Georgiana. I thank you for being so open and welcoming to her.”
Elizabeth hesitated a moment before replying. “I think you give me more credit than is my due, Mr Darcy. Surely any role I have played has been of very little consequence. All I have done is give a little encouragement here and there,” she said at last.
“No, Miss Bennet. It has been much more than that. I will never forget your kindness. Nor will Georgiana.”
Elizabeth only smiled, at a loss for words. She suddenly realised that they ought not to stand so close to one another. The scene would look almost inappropriate if anyone were to stumble upon them at that moment.
“Are you well, Miss Bennet?”
She nodded quickly and took a step away. She was being silly, allowing him to affect her so. He was only being kind, for surely there could be no other motive for him to be so attentive.
Before Elizabeth was forced to betray her distraction through a reply, Miss Darcy entered the room. “Oh, Miss Bennet! You look absolutely divine!” she gushed. She took Elizabeth’s hands, beaming with delight. “You really do.”
“And you as well,” Elizabeth said, returning her smile. “The colours suit you very well.” She glanced at Mr Darcy, who had just said something similar to her. Yet his compliment had felt rather different. Surely he could not have intended it to be as glowingly complimentary, as — asintimate —as it had sounded.
Miss Darcy continued to gush. “Does she not look splendid, Fitz?” she asked. Elizabeth felt heat filling her cheeks. Why was Miss Darcy pressing him to compliment her?
“Indeed, she does,” Mr Darcy agreed.
Elizabeth met his gaze and felt frozen to the spot. Yet warmth spread throughout her entire being. Could it really be admiration she saw singing in his eyes? She lowered her eyes. Though it might have been taken as a gesture of modesty, it was really more of a desperate effort to compose herself. When Elizabeth looked back up, his eyes were piercing, his gaze sodirect it made her heart pound. “Thank you, Mr Darcy,” she said, carefully keeping her voice level. She fingered the tartan material and looked back up at them. “This fabric is so beautiful, surely it would look well on anyone.”
“Well, now that we are dressed up, might I ask that you give me another lesson in charming and witty conversation?” Miss Darcy asked eagerly. “You always seem to know what to say, Miss Bennet, while I am so awkward and shy.”
“You may feel shy and awkward for a time, but practice will soon undo that. I have seen a great change in you already. You seem much easier than you did when we first met.” Elizabeth thanked her lucky stars for the chance to have the subject turned to something other than herself. The chance to recover her composure was very welcome. She turned to Mr Darcy. “Would you be willing to aid us in this lesson? I think it would benefit your sister to have someone other than myself to talk to.”
“Of course.”
Elizabeth had them face each other as if they were conversing at a party, then stood aside and guided Miss Darcy through the conversation. “Now, the key to feeling less shy is to think more of others. Your goal is to think of what might interest them and ferret it out. This will give you a plethora of directions to steer the conversation and keep them talking more than yourself. And it will put them at ease as well and show them you genuinely care about what is important to them. Do you see?”
“I am not sure where to begin,” Miss Darcy said, looking nervous. “It is easy to talk to Fitz, for I’m already comfortable with him. Might you show me how you would do it, and I can take mental notes?”
Before Elizabeth could argue, Miss Darcy stepped aside and drew Elizabeth into her place before Mr Darcy. He smoothed down his jacket and bowed. “Miss Bennet, what a pleasure to see you,” he said, pretending to greet her.
